hadith

American  

[hah-deeth] / hɑˈdiθ /

noun

plural

hadith, hadiths

1. Islam. a traditional account of things said or done by Muhammad or his companions.

2. (used with a plural verb) the entire body of such accounts.

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Hadith British  

/ hɑːˈdiːθ, ˈhædɪθ /

noun

1. the body of tradition and legend about Mohammed and his followers, used as a basis of Islamic law

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Etymology

Origin of hadith

First recorded in 1810–20, hadith is from the Arabic word ḥadīth

Example Sentences

The commission said Mr Holmes had accepted that, with hindsight, the hadith was sensitive and that he had not given sufficient context to it.

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2025

Shariah is Islamic law, based on the Quran and a set of scriptures known as the hadith.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 2024

Among the most important for the hadith was Muhammad’s youngest wife Aisha, whose achievements as a transmitter and interpreter of Islamic law in the decades following her husband’s death cannot be understated.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

You can tell them there is a hadith, or saying of Mohammed, that contends the breath of a fasting person is more pleasant to God than the fragrance of musk.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2022

This "hadith" grew apace, until, in the third century of the Híjrah, it was put to writing.

From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 2 by Mabie, Hamilton Wright